Amazon in Smallville
by writer writing
Summary: Sequel to Amazons. Diana must adjust to a new culture and find a way to do what she was called to do.
1. Chapter 1

Lois sighed and put down the magazine. She was tired, bored, but most of all ready for the private plane they were in to land.

"How much longer?" Lois asked Clark.

"We're over Kansas now. Not much." Clark went back to the book he was reading.

"Clark, I've been thinking…and I don't think we should tell anyone about our new relationship."

Clark quickly looked up. "What?"

"It's just we're going to have a lot to deal with and adjust to, you know?" She gestured to the airplane bathroom.

She was referring to Diana, an Amazon from Paradise Island. Lois had gone there on a story for the Inquisitor, and Clark had come along to protect her. Diana had been called to be an ambassador for the island and do good for the world; Clark and Lois had to help her. Diana was still on the naïve side. Her English was getting better all the time, but a Greek accent was still evident; with time she might not even have an accent. They'd had to forge a lot of documents in Greece to make it look like she was a native there, so she could get a passport. It had seemed evident that they couldn't have taken the honest route in this instance. They would certainly be busy helping Diana adjust to a modern culture in the coming weeks.

"Do you really want our family and friends to be asking a lot of nosy questions and be concerned with our love life on top of everything?"

"I guess not," but he didn't sound too sure.

She kissed him gently on the lips. "I promise as soon as we get Diana settled, we'll have a dinner or something and tell everybody."

Diana came out of the bathroom in the outfit she had borrowed from Lois.

"A bathroom is such a wonderful thing," she said with excitement, "and I still can't get over that we're flying. This is such an advanced civilization!"

"In some respects," Clark said.

"You'll have to excuse him," Lois explained. "He was born to an even more advanced civilization. We must seem like apes to him."

Clark blushed. "I wasn't comparing. I was talking about from a moral standpoint. Something every civilization struggles with."

Lois smiled and patted his leg, "I know you were."

He rolled his eyes. Being in a relationship with her wouldn't stop the teasing.

The pilot came over the intercom, "Please buckle up. We're about to make a landing in the Smallville airport."

Clark and Lois buckled up.

"Do I have to?" Diana asked. "If something happens to the plane, it won't really hurt me."

"Probably not," Clark answered, "but you have to do what normal people do to blend in."

Diana buckled up and looked out the window. As they got closer to the ground, she spotted the American flag on top of a pole. "That is the most beautiful design I have ever seen in my life."

"The flag?" Lois asked. "I guess if you've never seen it before, it's something to look at."

"It's amazing," Diana said, still staring.

"Betsy Ross thanks you I'm sure," Lois said.

"Can you wear it?" Diana asked, unable to get over its beauty.

"I guess you can get it on a t-shirt," Clark said.

"Or you can just sew it around yourself like a bathing suit. It would be a gloriously patriotic thing to do, and you'd be in the height of fashion," Lois joked, but Diana obviously wasn't.

"I'd make some slight alterations. Maybe put in a little yellow. Yellow is such a nice color," Diana mused.

Lois didn't know whether to laugh or explain that you couldn't go around dressed in a slightly altered American flag.

She chose to laugh.


	2. Chapter 2

The plane made a smooth landing, and the 3 of them got off the plane. In the airport lobby, Chloe was waiting with a cup of coffee in her hand.

Lois ran ahead and said, "Please, Cuz. Tell me that coffee's for me. I haven't had coffee in heaven only knows how long. If you don't give it to me, I'll take it by force. People in withdraw tend to get violent!"

Chloe handed it over, "Well, technically it was for me, but it looks like you need it more than I do."

Lois didn't reply but tore the lid off and greedily drank it down.

"Lois, did you get a haircut?" Chloe asked with interest.

"Don't ask. It's a long story."

"I like it. It's cute. So did you get the—" Clark and Diana came into sight. Clark was carrying the bags, and Diana was walking and trying to look at the now very high flag outside. "It looks like you brought your story with you."

Lois smiled as she tossed her cup in the trash. "Yep."

Clark and Diana joined them.

"Chloe, this is Diana Prince. She's from the island. Diana, this is my cousin, Chloe Sullivan. I'm sure Clark can explain her presence to you because I have to ride over to the Inquisitor and get my story in pronto."

"Where's Diana going to stay?" Chloe asked.

"Well, I had thought with us, but that puts somebody on the couch and that's Smallville's thing."

"In other words, she'll be staying with me and Mom," Clark said translating incase Chloe hadn't deduced it.

Chloe laughed, "I've missed you guys. I bet you two fought the whole time."

Clark smiled in reply. "Most of it."

"All of it," Lois contradicted. "I'll be over later, Smallville. I've got to catch up on senator stuff with your mom, and I want to check on Diana."

Clark nodded, trying his best to look uninterested, and Lois left.

"So with all those girls, did you pick up a girlfriend?" Chloe asked him with a teasing grin.

"Actually—" Diana started to say.

"No," Clark interrupted. "You know me. There's only one girl in my life. Can you help me with my bags, Chloe? They're getting kind of heavy."

Chloe frowned, knowing full well he was perfectly capable of handling them and a 100 more, but she couldn't very well call him on it in front of Diana. She took one and angrily stormed ahead to the car.

"Diana, we can't tell her about Lois and me."

"Why?"

"It's complicated, but can you keep it a secret for now?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Thanks."

Chloe was already behind the wheel of the car and tapping it impatiently, waiting for them to get in. He hadn't taken the truck to the airport, and Chloe knew it, but now that Diana was here he couldn't just run home. Clark thought it was nice of Chloe to realize it and help without having to tell her to, but Chloe was still mad. She didn't talk to him the whole ride there.

sss

Lois knocked on her editor's door. She had finished the story on the plane with Diana's input. It didn't give too much away, but there was just enough to make it interesting.

"Come in, dear," called Mrs. Fitzgerald.

Mrs. Fitzgerald was a sweet, elderly woman with a lot of quirkiness. You had to be quirky to run a paper like this. Mrs. Fitzgerald was sitting at her desk with a box full of dolls and brushing their hair and gently placing them on her desk when she was done. She looked up, "Got the story done, Miss Lane?"

Lois handed her the story as an answer, and Mrs. Fitzgerald put the doll and brush down to read it. "Very good. I assume it's a completely true story with no obscuring?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You're a stubborn one, Miss Lane. I've told you time and time again, it doesn't have to be. People that read this are either nuts and believe anything or they read it for a laugh."

"I know, but I believe in reporting the absolute truth."

"I realize that, and you've been managing to pull in our kind of stories doing that. You'll go far, my dear. One day some big paper is going to notice that and whisk you away."

"Without a college education? I doubt it," she said with her eyes on the dolls.

"A college education isn't everything if you're a hard worker and have gumption, and there's another sign of a good reporter."

"What?" Lois asked.

"Curiosity. You haven't taken your eyes off the dolls since you've been in here. You're wondering what an old lady is doing playing with dolls."

"Yeah, but it's none of my business."

"I don't mind telling you. I'm not playing with them. I'm just using my spare time to brush their hair. You see I was an only child and we moved around a lot. I didn't make friends very easily. These dolls were my best friends. Look at this one. Its head and leg is taped on. My husband and children always ask me why I don't throw it away or sell the ones that have accumulated in value. You don't throw good friends away or sell them. Few people understand how real toys can be. These dolls once walked and talked. They were full of personality. Of course, that was back in my childhood, a time of magic, but I brush their hair and take them out every now and then for old times sake and for my old friends."

Lois smiled. "It's not so crazy. I read the Velveteen Rabbit."

"Oh, yes. One of my favorite books. 'Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.'"

"I was always more of a practical child though. I didn't have much time for fantasy and imagination. When I got lonely, I climbed a tree or kicked a ball."

"It takes all kinds to make up this world. We need the dreamers and the doers"

"Yes, we do. I've got to run and take care of my other job. Any new stories for me?"

"Well, there's a big foot story brewing, but the reporter assigned to that will probably have to fudge it a little."

"Let me know if something comes along."

"I will, and keep your eyes open for a story."

"I always do. See you later, Mrs. Fitzgerald."

"Bye, dear."

Lois was eager to get to the Kent farm to see how Mrs. Kent was taking it and how Diana was doing, but most of all, she missed her new boyfriend.


	3. Chapter 3

Lois knocked on the door, and Martha let her in.

"Hi, sweetie," she said, as she headed back into the kitchen where Diana was helping her prepare supper.

Lois studied Martha briefly. She had probably been surprised to find Clark had brought home an Amazon, but she didn't show the surprise. She acted like having an Amazon in the house was the most natural thing in the world, which showed just how good Martha's manners were.

"Where's Clark?" Lois asked.

"In his room. Are you staying for supper?" Martha asked.

"No, thank you, Mrs. Kent. I'll eat at home."

"What will you eat?"

"Whatever I find."

"Pop-tarts and a candy bar?"

Lois smiled. "Probably."

"I know you and Chloe don't eat healthy. Young people out on their own never do."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll stay for supper, and I'll bring home leftovers for Chloe. She doesn't get home until 11, but I'll make sure she eats it anyway."

Martha gave a satisfied nod and smile.

"How's it going, Diana?" asked Lois.

"Wonderful. Mrs. Kent is showing me all kinds of kitchen things. It's like magic. You don't need to build a fire. You just push a button and it cooks the food and this big box keeps things cold and—"

"I know. I grew up around these kitchen things. Never learned to use them properly, but I know about them," she said with a grin. "I'm going upstairs now to bother Smallville."

"Don't be too hard on him," Martha teased.

"It's my job, Mrs. Kent. It's what I live for."

"Speaking of job, we have to get together after we eat and catch you up."

"I know. It's the main reason I came over," she said before heading up the stairs.

She knocked on Clark's bedroom door.

"Just a minute," he said.

She heard whooshing noises, and he opened the door.

"Oh, it's you," Clark said, giving her a quick hug and kiss.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"I'm moving my stuff out, so Diana can sleep in here."

"Why? You didn't do that when I stayed in here."

"For one thing, I have no idea how long this arrangement will be, but I think it'll be quite awhile before she can strike out on her own, and for the other thing, I had a female guest in my room before and she tended to wear my clothes."

"Like I've told you a million times, I had nothing else to wear."

"And this same female guest barged into the bathroom while I was showering."

"You were taking an extremely long shower."

"I'm just saying I've learned to be cautious when non-family females are in my house."

"I doubt you'll have any problems with Diana. I'm sure she's the perfect houseguest."

"Probably, but I'm taking no chances."

Lois smiled as she took a seat on his bed. "Do you think your mom would've let me come into your bedroom if she knew about our newfound relationship?"

"I know she wouldn't. Mom's pretty old-fashioned."

"Yeah, about that. We haven't really talked about—"

"Clark! Lois! Supper!" his mom yelled.

"Looks like we still won't." He put out his arm. "May I escort you to dinner, miss?"

She laughed and stood up, taking his arm. "Only until we get to the stairs."

The table was already set. They were having bean soup with homemade bread.

"Who wants to give the blessing?" Martha asked.

"I'll do it," Diana said.

Everyone was a little surprise at her offer but closed their eyes and bowed their heads.

"Demeter, we pray to you and give you thanks for the bountiful feast you have grown for us. May you sit on Mount Olympus forever."

Martha opened her eyes after Demeter. She was obviously astonished. She'd never met anyone that prayed to a Greek god. Clark and Lois had opened their eyes too; they were doing their best to restrain their laughter.

"Thank you," Martha said, recovering after the prayer was over but with a little bit of uncertainty in her tone.

Diana gave a pleased smile.

"That's not normally who we pray to though," Clark said. "We pray to God or Jesus in this household, but there are a lot of religions in this country, so don't feel bad about being different."

"But I don't think anyone prays to Greek gods," Lois said. "I don't know though. There are a lot of crackpots in—

"What she's trying to say," Clark interrupted, "before she had a foot-in-the-mouth moment is it would be more appropriate to address God while you're here."

"I know you're from a completely different culture," Martha said compassionately. "You've probably never even heard of our God, but that's what is fun about living somewhere else is learning new things."

"I don't mind addressing God," Diana said. "Greek gods are the only ones I know, but I don't believe in them. It's more of a habit. I'm eager to learn of your god and this Jesus." Diana prayed for them again. "Thank you, God."

"Amen," everyone chorused.

"Kitchen and religion. You've tackled 2 things already," Lois said between bites. "You should probably tackle shopping next."

"Oh, I bet you do need all kinds of things," Martha said to Diana. "I completely forgot. After Lois and I finish up, I'm sure Lois can take you on a quick shopping trip."

"I can?" Lois asked.

"Do you have something else to do?" Martha asked.

"Not really. You're the boss, Boss," Lois said, but she clearly didn't look thrilled at the prospect.


	4. Chapter 4

"I can't believe it! It's so weird," Lois said.

"It's a sign from the gods," Diana said, holding up a very patriotic bathing suit with a little yellow.

"Well, I guess you do need something to swim in."

"I don't want to swim in it. I want to fight crime in it."

Lois looked around to see if anyone had heard them. "Not so loud."

"I want to fight crime in it," Diana whispered.

"In a bathing suit?"

"Yes."

Lois shrugged. "I guess it could prove distracting in the right circumstances. If I were you though, I'd make sure to wear extra long boots."

"Where are the boots?"

"This is a five and ten store. The only thing you're going to find is work boots. Winter boots are out of season right now and you wouldn't want them anyway. You'll have to find a specialty store. I would recommend some tall, red boots. If you can fit in them, I actually have a pair in my apartment. It's not like I'll ever use them again that I can foresee. Anyway, you're welcome to them."

"Great and I think my crown and bracelets will go nicely with it."

"It'll certainly be an interesting ensemble, and hey, if you do go public, you can be my next story."

Diana put the bathing suit in the buggy, and Lois started pushing for the checkout lines.

"I think that's everything," Lois said, "a toothbrush, a hairbrush, 7 outfits, a—"

"I'm still not sure why I need all this stuff."

"Trust me. You're not on the island anymore. You may not have been able to get cavities or tangles there, but now that you're off and a little more mortal, you don't want to take any chances."

Lois had been so busy talking, she hadn't paid much attention to where she was going and her buggy ran into somebody. "Sorry."

"You need to watch where you're going," the woman said, turning around. It was Lana.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lana."

"Lois? I didn't know you and Clark got back. I accept your apology. To tell you the truth, I wasn't really alert either. I've had a lot on my mind."

"Relating to Lex I'm sure. Oh, I forgot to introduce you to my friend. Lana, this is Diana. Diana, this is Lana."

They shook hands.

"Is Clark going to be home tomorrow?" Lana asked.

"I don't know. Am I Clark's keeper?"

"The last person that said something to that effect murdered the person in question," Lana joked.

"Don't worry. I'm tempted to sometimes, but murder's against the law."

Lana laughed nervously and then said goodbye. Lois got the feeling that she made Lana uneasy sometimes. They were such different sorts of people.

"Was that Clark's old girlfriend?" Diana asked.

"Yeah," Lois said, barely listening. She was thinking about Lana. She knew she didn't have anything to worry about. She supposed she didn't like that Lana wanted to see Clark. Lana had her own life now. Why did she always have to go to Clark, and Clark was such a sweet, caring guy, he would never turn her away, even though he no longer loved her. She wouldn't have him any other way though. She just wished that Lana could find a nice, trustworthy guy that wasn't named Clark.

Diana interrupted her thoughts with a question. She must have sensed a need to change the subject. "What are we going to give for these items?"

Lois held up a 100 dollar bill.

"That? It's just a green piece of paper. What is its usefulness?"

"It's called money. Mrs. Kent gave it to me to buy stuff. You see in America and a lot of other places, we don't barter. Everyone works and does whatever it is they do for a living and in exchange they get money. That way you don't have to try to find somebody who's willing to trade with you."

"I see. That's a good system for such a big place."

"It's really the only way to do it. Wait until you learn about credit cards."

"Credit cards?"

"There's an old saying. 'Money is the root of all evil.' I'm of the opinion that it's the credit card."

Diana wanted to ask more questions about the credit cards, but they came to a checkout line.

Later, as they were getting in the car, Diana said, "I'm going to fight evil tonight."

"Tonight?"

"I brought my weapons with me and now that I have a disguise, I'm ready. If you don't mind, I'd like to go to your home and get the boots."

"You think a bathing suit and crown is a disguise, and I just don't think you're ready."

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I have to do this. You won't change my mind or stop me, so you might as well help me, and like you said, you get your story," she said, as she got in and shut the door.

Lois sighed. "Why me? I was just supposed to take her shopping. Clark's not going to like this."


	5. Chapter 5

Lois was pacing in the dark alley. She stopped to tug her sleeves down over her hands and then looked at Diana. "Aren't you cold in that thing?"

"Not really."

"I am. I wish I'd brought a jacket. Do you know how stupid I feel, hanging out in Suicide Slums and waiting for bad guys to show up?"

"You don't have to stay with me. It would probably be better if you didn't."

"Yes, I have to stay with you. I was supposed to take you shopping and then home. That's it. I'm in so much trouble."

"With Clark?"

"I was thinking more of Mrs. Kent but him too. You know what? What do I care? I'm a big girl, and I'm on a story. It's my job to stay here and watch you."

"How long does it take for bad guys to show up?"

"I don't know. In my experience, not long. They usually have a way of finding me. One time—"

Lois stopped as a gang of 5 guys came into the alley.

"Well, well, look at what he cat dragged in," their leader said.

"A couple of very pretty girls," one of them answered.

Lois shook her head. A couple of them looked like very young teenagers. "Shouldn't you boys be in bed, getting tucked in by your mommies?"

3 of them pulled out switch blades.

"Okay boys with weapons," Lois conceded.

Diana had pulled out her magic lasso, and since they were all grouped together, she had no trouble quickly lassoing them.

"Crap," Lois complained. "That was too easy and it ended too fast. What kind of story is girl in bathing suit lassos teenage boys going to make? Where's the fighting? I was kind of hoping to take one down myself."

Diana smiled. "What should we do with them?"

"Find a piece of rope to tie them up, and I'll call the police and tell them where they're at. You have to turn things over to the law. We need to hurry though, so we can get away."

"What for?" one of the boys asked. "We can identify you."

"Not in the dark you can't," Lois said, "and what does it matter? We don't commit crimes, but I'm sure the cops will have plenty on you."

They left Suicide Slums after they found rope and called. Lois knew better than to park her car in this area, so they had a good walk ahead of them, and they had to stay vigilant.

"Have you caught enough criminals for one night?" Lois asked.

"I guess so. I don't want to worry the Kents by staying gone too long. They've been so nice to me."

"Yeah, they're wonderful people. I wish you could've met Clark's dad."

"It amazes me that Clark was raised by a woman, and he has such respect for her."

"Don't believe everything the Amazons told you. Men and women can coexist. It's the best possible arrangement. How about you and I get a drink before we go home to celebrate? I've never gotten to legally buy a drink yet."

"Sure," Diana told her.

"She'll have a coke," Lois said, "and I'll have a coke with a very tiny, microscopic shot of rum."

She showed the bartender her license even though he didn't ask for it. That was the fun of the whole thing.

What's the matter, girls? Can't hold your drinks?" a man asked, putting himself between their bar stools. He reeked of alcohol and had obviously had one too many.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I can hold plenty, more than you ever could. However, some of us have to drive. Now buzz off."

"You know you're much prettier," he said, looking at Diana. "Why don't you leave your grouchy friend and come home with me?"

"No, thank you," Diana said, looking away.

"Suit yourselves. There's flenty of pish in the ocean, river, whatever," and he stumbled away.

"Let me explain something," Lois said. "Most men are jerks."

"Thanks a lot," the blonde bartender said good-humoredly, as he set their cokes down.

"I didn't say all men, did I? Here's a better piece of advice. Most people are jerks. I'm just saying your contact with people and especially men have been limited."

"What was she raised in a convent?" the bartender asked.

"Something like that," Lois said. "As you might be able to tell by her accent, she's from another country and she's led a very sheltered life thus far."

"What country?" he asked Diana. "I'm in the military. I've done a lot of traveling."

"It's a small island. You've never heard of it," Lois answered for her. "If you're in the military, why are you bartending?"

He laughed, causing his blue eyes to twinkle. "Aren't you overprotective and inquisitive? I'm on leave right and earning a little extra cash." He put out his hand. "My name's Steve." Lois shook it. "Permission to shake your friend's hand, captain?" he asked in mock salute.

Lois rolled her eyes. "Permission granted."

He shook Diana's hand and then he had to go attend to some other customers.

Lois felt someone tap her on the back. She spun around on her chair. She swore if it was the drunk guy again, she was going to belt him one. It was Clark.

"Somehow I think when my mom sent you shopping, it wasn't for alcohol."

She kissed his cheek. "Okay, officer," Lois said, "we're going home."

"Give me your keys," Clark instructed.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Lois said. "I've had one sip. There's more alcohol in a teaspoon of cough syrup."

"And what do those bottles say? Don't drive or operate heavy machinery."

"Who pays any attention to those warnings anyway?"

"I do. I didn't bring my truck, so I can drive you back."

"Fine. Drop me off at my apartment, but you better have my car back to me before 7:00 a.m. tomorrow."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Chloe isn't home yet, and I don't want you by yourself in your condition. You can spend the night at the farm."

"Of course, Chloe's not home. The first star has barely come out yet. I don't know why you came to get us in the first place. And what condition? I am not drunk! I don't even have a buzz!"

"Lois, let's not make a scene," Diana said.

Lois folded her arms and glared, but followed him out with Diana.

Clark smiled secretively as she cursed under her breath. If he didn't know she loved him, he might take offense to some of the things she said.


	6. Chapter 6

Lois still had a very annoyed look on her face when she came through the front door of the Kent farm, but it quickly changed to a pleasantly surprised look. The living room had been decorated and Martha, Chloe, and Jimmy yelled "Surprise!"

Lois looked at Clark. "I knew you were up to something. You know I don't get drunk easily, and I don't think anybody gets drunk off one sip of a barely-defined-as-alcoholic drink." She laughed and punched his arm.

They ate cake, and Lois opened presents. Diana silently studied American birthday traditions the whole time. Chloe and Jimmy left first.

Lois stayed a little longer, but at last she said, "I better get going. I have an early day tomorrow."

"I'll walk you to your car, so I can help carry the presents," Clark said, and Lois didn't protest.

Martha looked up from gathering the paper plates and cups. It wasn't the first time Clark had helped Lois take something to the car, and it wasn't the first time Lois had let him, but usually it went something more like, "Let me give you a hand, Lois." Lois would roll her eyes, knowing what was coming next, and Clark would clap. She would walk over to him and shove whatever she happened to be carrying at him. Clark would object but do it anyway. They would argue during the whole process.

It's not that they hadn't been bickering tonight because they had, but there was something was something different. Their arguments were hardly ever serious. They had always had a playful tone, but it felt like they had an even deeper feeling now. Martha smiled, hoping their relationship had taken another step on the trip. They were so good for each other.

sss

"Thanks for the party, Smallville," Lois said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"That's all I get?" Clark asked with a mischievous smile, "That took a lot of time and energy you know, and I helped you carry your presents out here."

"Your mother could be watching."

"Yeah, I guess so," Clark said with obvious disappointment. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"You know while we're alone, I'm assuming no one else around here has super hearing, maybe it's a good time to talk."

"Talk?"

"Yeah, the talk."

"Oh, that talk."

"I mean do you want to you know before marriage?"

"Do you?"

"No fair. I asked you first."

"Quite honestly, no. That's not to say I've never done it before. I have with one person when I didn't have powers. I'm sure you know who that is, but it wasn't right. I wanted it to be special and an expression of undying love. I wanted to save myself for the one special person who would be my soul mate. I thought that person was Lana, but it wasn't. I can't tell you how much I regret that I didn't wait until I was married, and of course, I freaked my parents out. I can't say it's a good memory."

Lois nodded. "I want to wait too but for a different reason. I've only been with someone once before too. Does that surprise you?"

Clark shook his head. "You don't take relationships lightly. You're not the type to open up easily or the type to sleep around."

"It was an act of rebellion more than anything else, not that I wasn't attracted to him. I was 16, and he was 18. He dropped out senior year to join the military. He was charming, good-looking, and a bit of a hellion. I convinced myself I loved him, but the real truth was I liked getting under my father's skin by dating someone he disapproved of.

"Anyway it's not like I didn't try other times especially with Oliver. I'm sure you wanted to hear that, but something was always getting in the way. Maybe it was a supernatural thing or maybe deep down I knew I wouldn't be happy. I don't know. It's not like I'm old-fashioned and I would be very careful, but I guess when it boils down to it, what's the point? Okay that sounded a little more stupid than I intended, but it's true. I guess I'm a little like you after all. If the person is the one, you can wait until you get married and if they're not, it's going to leave you with regrets and unhappy memories."

"I'm glad you feel the same way. You're probably going to think I'm a religious zealot, but the rules laid out in the Bible are there for a reason. It's not there for God to enjoy and feel powerful and for you to be miserable. Breaking rules hurts you and others. Think of all the diseases, unplanned children, emotional hurt you could end up with because of it and for what, fleeting pleasure? It's not worth it."

"I agree."

"It's not that I don't love you. I do, and I know you will turn out to be the one. That's why I want to give you this." He pulled a bracelet out of his pocket and gave it to her. "I've never even thought about giving this to anyone else, even Lana. It's meant for my soul mate, but I want you to wait before you put it on."

"Why?"

"I think it may have some kind of magic having to do Krypton."

"In that case, it's more like extremely advanced technology."

"Same thing," he said with a smile. "It's better safe than sorry."

"Fine, I'll lock it away somewhere until you find out if it's safe. Thanks. This means a lot to me."

"Happy belated birthday, Lois."

"Happy early birthday, Clark."

"What?" he asked with confusion.

"It sounded good at the moment," she said with a laugh and a shrug. "Goodnight."

He squeezed her hand and said, "Goodnight," and reluctantly let go, so she could get home.

Diana watched them holding each other's hand from Clark's bedroom window and sighed. It must be nice to have a boyfriend. She couldn't get Steve, the bartender, out of her mind. She wondered if he had a girlfriend. She didn't know his last name or where he lived. She supposed she could always go back tomorrow and find out more about him.


	7. Chapter 7

When Chloe got up the next morning, she found Lois furiously pounding on the keys of her laptop and then frowning and erasing whatever she had just wrote.

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked.

Lois looked up sharply. "Nothing."

"Are you working on a story?"

"Maybe but it doesn't concern you."

"Why should I care? You work at a paper that prints fiction. The Daily Planet would never think of printing that kind of material." Chloe's eyes got big. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't quite mean it to come out that way."

"It's okay. It's true, but I'll have you know that everything I write is nothing but facts and truth. That's why it takes me so long to come up with stories for the Inquisitor. It has to be paranormal and true at the same time."

"I know that. It takes someone with a lot of talent to be able to do that, and your articles are written well too."

"Okay, you can stop buttering me up now. I forgive you."

"How long have you been up?"

"I never went to bed."

"Lois, don't you have to work for Mrs. Kent this afternoon?"

"Yes, and I have to bring a story to the Inquisitor this morning."

"I thought you just turned in a story yesterday."

"I did, but I've been away on a story for 2 weeks and although they paid for the trip, I haven't been earning money for other stories. I have to catch up, and I have this really great story. I've got it written, but I'm looking for the right name."

"Name?"

"Look, if I tell you, will you promise not to steal the story?"

"Like I'd have time to turn it in before you. Plus, we're family. I think we can trust each other on some level."

"Point taken. There's a new superhero in Metropolis."

"Really?"

"Really. She's super strong, she can fly, among other things, and she has amazing weapons."

"It does sound like a great story."

"It is, but I'm trying to come up with a name to call her. She doesn't have one."

"Well, you're not bad at coming up with superhero names. Green Arrow really caught on."

"Not the most creative name in the world. He had a green costume, he had arrows, and he was a bandit. And they dropped the bandit."

"Only because it was too long a name to say. Obvious, simple names work the best sometimes."

"How about Miss America? She wears a patriotic costume."

"Not unless she won a beauty pageant."

"She is beautiful, and she has a bathing suit and tiara. It could work."

"Somebody would sue you for taking the Miss America title. Keep thinking and I'm going to go get me some breakfast. After all the cake I ate last night, it's a wonder I'm even hungry."

"Chloe, you're a genius."

"I am?"

"Wonder Woman. It's got a nice ring to it, and what better way to describe her other than a wonder?"

"Wow, I guess I am a genius."

sss

Diana had found her way back to the bar by cab, and she looked around. It was dark and smoky even in the daytime, but of course, he wasn't there. She hadn't expected him to work there 24 hours a day, just hoped. She went up to one of the bartenders.

"Do you know where I can find Steve?" she asked.

"Steve Trevor?"

"I guess so."

"Last night was his last night. He's back on active duty. He's in the military you know."

Her face fell.

"I never could stand to see a girl sad, and I'm sure he wouldn't want to miss seeing you again." He wrote down the address for her. "He might have done moved out. I don't know."

Diana got a cab to drive there with the money Clark's mom had lent her. She found the apartment, but when she got there, no one answered the door. Disappointed, she knew that must have meant he had already left, but as she passed by the window, she saw his unconscious form lying on the floor.

She broke into the apartment, but before she could check for signs of life, she fell to her knees. She was about to succumb to whatever had knocked out Steve.


	8. Chapter 8

Diana knew it was only a matter of seconds before she succumbed completely to the fumes. She used her last remaining strength to grab Steve and get out of the house and into the garden. She coughed and gasped for fresh air. She had never felt or heard of anything like this in her life. It may very well have been the end of her life.

She turned into clay and became one with the earth. Her normal shape and composition began slowly returning. When she returned to her normal self, she felt perfectly fine, better than fine and sat up. It was an ancient Amazonian ritual. All her people could do it because they had all been reborn from the clay. It wasn't done very often though because it was considered such a sacred act.

She felt his heart to see if it still beat. She could faintly feel a pulse, but he wasn't breathing. She had no idea what to do. It seemed ludicrous but maybe if she breathed some of her own oxygen into him. She gave it a try and he began coughing and sputtering.

He opened his eyed and saw his rescuer, "Have I died and gone to heaven?"

"No, I don't think so," she answered.

"Then why do I see an angel?" he weakly laughed.

She helped him sit up against the building and gave him a few minutes to rest.

"What happened?" she asked at last.

"I have enemies by the nature of my job, who must have set off poisonous gas. I can't really tell you more than that, secret government mission and all that."

"I understand," she said.

"Aren't you that girl who was at the bar last night?"

"Yes, my name is Diana Prince," she blushed. "I—I was trying to find you and a man at the bar told me where you lived."

"Boy, am I glad he did. What time is it?"

"A little after 12. Why?"

"Oh, no! I'm going to miss my stupid flight. Well, actually I can't miss my flight. I'm a pilot in the air force, but my friend could fly off without me. He probably won't, but he could."

"Do you think you can drive in your condition?"

"No, because I don't have a car. I was planning on walking, but there's not enough time for that, and I don't have money for cabs. I already sent my belongings on ahead. I was just locking the place up. I was supposed to be there at 12."

"I could take you to the airport. I have plenty for the cab."

"You're a saint, but I couldn't ask you to rescue me twice in one day."

"I want to, and it does not look like you have much of a choice."

He consented, and they left for the airport.

sss

"Keep your shirt on!" Steve yelled at the guy in the plane.

"We're already off schedule!" he yelled back.

"I know, Matt. I'm not stupid." He looked at Diana. "I can never thank you enough."

"It's not a problem," she replied softly.

"I bet you were coming to ask me out, am I right?"

"Maybe," she answered very red.

"Then it's lucky I have a girlfriend to write to. I'll write every day, maybe even twice, my fair heroine."

It was all she could do to nod.

"It might help to have an address."

She told them the Kents' address.

"I've committed it to memory," he told her.

"Steve!" yelled Matt.

"I'm coming!" He kissed her on the cheek and then ran for the plane.

Diana held her cheek and watched the plane take off. It had definitely been stupid to separate from men.

sss

"I can't believe they're raising the cost of speeding tickets because the stupid politicians, not you Mrs. Kent, can't keep their hands off the funds," Lois grumbled, as they sat working at the dining room table.

"Don't speed," Martha said with a smile.

"But I do. Sometimes it's necessary to get a story," Lois explained. "I'd also like to know why they have to load these documents full of boring, technical jargon. Greek is easier to read than this, and I don't know a word of Greek."

"You're in the wrong business." Chloe interjected, who was also at the table. "You should try to become a full time reporter. I know you say you're learning a lot as a chief of staff, but I'm sure Mrs. Kent wouldn't mind you trying to find another job if it makes you unhappy. I know you're finding the job unsatisfying."

"I am not, Mrs. Kent," Lois said quickly. "And who else are you going to get to whip your staff back into shape? They've been slacking off while I was away."

"Yeah, she's right," Chloe said to Martha. "It is hard to find those dictator types to run your office. They're usually ruling foreign countries. Listen, how close are you to being finished?"

"Would you quit asking me that?" Lois said. "I've got to get caught up. I was away for 2 weeks, and you're not helping things get done any faster."

"I want to catch the 8:00 feature, so we're not out all night. The trip to the movies is my birthday present to you, and you agreed you wanted to go tonight. We hardly ever get to spend any recreational time together because we're always working."

"I know that, Chloe, but do I bother you when you're trying to work, and I'm keeping you company?"

"Yes."

"All I do is play video games."

"Yeah, and you shout die and make other sound effects the whole time. You are the noisiest video game player I know."

"It's good practice for real life."

"Oh, yeah," Chloe said sarcastically. "When the aliens from Mars attack and everyone's confused about what to do, you can tell them to push the A button repeatedly and shout die."

"Why don't we call it quits for tonight?" Martha suggested. "You girls really shouldn't miss going to the movies. You both work so hard."

Lois looked at her watch. "It's only 7:16. We have plenty of time before we have to leave."

"Let's just relax and talk then. I'm getting tired," Martha said.

Lois shrugged. "You're the boss. I'll be here bright and early tomorrow though. We can ride over to the AFC convention together."

"I almost forgot about that. Can you take a look at my speech when you get done with the movies? It's right here."

"Sure, I can look at it, but I'm sure it's great."

"I thought we stopped talking about business," Chloe said. "Where's Diana?"

"Upstairs," Martha answered.

"Not fighting crime?" Chloe wanted to know.

"How did you know?" Lois asked.

"Amazon in Smallville, not that hard to figure out," Chloe replied.

"True," Lois conceded. "I knew Mrs. Kent and Smallville would figure out who the new superhero was because they live with her. He's not too pleased that we didn't stick with shopping yesterday."

"Is Clark upstairs too?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah," Martha answered. "He's cleaning out the attic. I told him he didn't have to do it, but he insisted."

"That's Clark for you," Chloe said. "Hey, wait a minute! You don't think—Do you think—"

"They could be romantically involved?" Martha finished for her.

"No, I don't," Lois said. "That's ridiculous."

"Yeah, you're right," Chloe said. "He's only got eyes for Lana."

"I was thinking more because Diana got herself a boyfriend today," Lois said.

"No way," Chloe said in disbelief. "Who?"

"You wouldn't know him."

"We really have to get Clark dating again," Chloe said thoughtfully.

"No, we don't," Lois said. "Leave him alone. He's fine the way he is."

The doorbell rang, and they saw Lana's car setting outside.

"Speak of the devil," Chloe remarked.

"Amen to that," Lois said. "You know what? Stay seated, Mrs. Kent. I'll get the door."

After Lois left the room, Chloe said, "She's being awful defensive. You don't think—"

"I really do," Martha answered.

"Oh man, I wish I'd gone on that trip. That must've been some trip. We have to go watch Lois."

"It's none of our business."

"Well, of course, I'm curious, but I was thinking more along the lines of protecting Lana."

They got up to go supervise Lois.


	9. Chapter 9

"What do you want?" Lois asked, not backing away from the door.

"To see Clark," answered Lana.

"About what?" Lois asked with a touch of impatience.

"About personal matters," Lana replied, starting to sound impatient herself.

"Is it a matter of life and death?"

"What?"

"You heard me is death knocking at your door?"

"No, but that doesn't make it any less important."

"I believe I've heard that you have an aunt somewhere in the world that you love and who raised you. I've also heard you have a husband. Yet it's so personal that you can only share it with your ex-boyfriend?"

"When you put it that way, it sounds a little stupid, but it's about Clark and me."

"Clark and you? I don't believe there is a Clark and you after you broke his heart by marrying Lex Luthor, 'who would never be dishonest like Clark is'. Words by the way that I heard come out of your mouth. I do heartily thank you for doing it though because now I don't have to see Clark brooding every time I go up to the loft. He's moved on. It's time for you to do the same, but knowing how caring Smallville is, if it's ever a matter of life and death, don't hesitate to ask for his help."

Lana was clearly offended and flounced angrily back to her car. Lois shut the door with a satisfied smile while Martha and Chloe clapped.

"Way to go, Lois," Chloe said. "You may have put an end to the Clark and Lana drama once and for all."

"I can't condone hurting someone's feelings," Martha said, "but it's about time she learned to start leaning on someone other than my son."

"Someone had to do it," Lois said.

"Do what?" Clark asked, coming down the stairs with a smile plastered on his face.

Lois smiled back, knowing full well he'd heard it all.

"Take out the trash," Lois said.

The others stared in disbelief at her terminology.

"Oh, come on, trash is a nice word compared to some of the words I could have used."

"What I can't figure out is why you didn't want her to see Clark," Chloe said with an evil grin.

"We might as well tell them," Clark said. "They already suspect."

"Clark!" Lois said.

"Is it because you're ashamed of it?" he asked.

"No, I just don't think they'll take it well," Lois aid.

"We have to tell them sooner or later. Mom, Chloe, Lois and I are dating."

Martha and Chloe squealed with delight, jumping up and running over to hug them.

"Yeah, they took it really bad," Clark told Lois, as they were still being engulfed in hugs.

"Wait a minute," Lois said. "Chloe, I thought since you know the crush thing, you'd be mad and, Mrs. Kent, I can't imagine any mother liking the idea of me as a prospective daughter-in-law."

"Yeah, but I'm way over Clark," Chloe said. "I have a boyfriend now, remember? I think it's great. You guys are a cute couple, and if you get married, I'll be related to Clark."

"Let's not jump the gun," Lois told Chloe.

"And, honey," Martha said. "You know I already think of you as a daughter. It'd be wonderful if it was official."

Tears shone in Lois' eyes. "Thank you both so much and don't worry about Clark's powers or heritage getting revealed. I already know about them."

"What's going on?" Diana asked, standing at the top of the staircase and yawning.

"We just told them we were dating," Clark said with an arm around Lois.

Diana yawned again. "It's about time. I felt bad about keeping a secret."

"Says the woman with the alternate identity," Lois said, and Clark playfully nudged her.

Diana just laughed. "She's right. Wonder Woman is going back to bed now. That is what everyone is calling me, I believe."

"Lois, the movie!" Chloe suddenly exclaimed.

They said their goodbyes and rushed out the door.

sss

"Chloe, the editor would like to see you in her office," said one of the errand boys, as he passed by her.

Chloe groaned. Whenever the editor wanted to speak to an intern, it was never a good thing.

"Come in," said Pauline Kahn.

Chloe felt like she was walking to an executioner's block, but she remained as calm as she could and took a seat.

Pauline held up issues of the Inquisitor. "Tell me what these are, Miss Sullivan."

"Uh…issues of the Inquisitor."

"Very good, Miss Sullivan, but be more specific than that."

Chloe shrugged, not knowing what to say.

"Let me read you some of these headlines. 'Green Arrow Bandit Steals Necklace.' 'Bat or Man?: Man dresses as Bat to Fight Night Crime' 'Metropolis Has New Hero: Wonder Woman' Do these mean anything to you?"

"Um…not really."

"Let me tell you what they mean to me. This is the Age of Superheroes. People with extraordinary gifts, who fight crime, are popping up everywhere. The Daily Planet has not once gotten a superhero story first. It's beginning to give this rag more credibility than the Daily Planet."

Chloe looked at some of the other stories advertised on the page: 'Woman Delivers 100 Babies at Once' and 'Cat Possessed by the Spirit of Elvis'. She wouldn't go quite that far.

"I noticed something else," Pauline continued. "All these stories that turn out to be true are written by the same journalist, Lois Lane. Do you know her?"

"Yes."

"You should. She's your cousin and roommate as I hear it. Why is she out-scooping you? Does she steal stories that you're working on?"

"No, ma'am. She's just a really good journalist. Sometimes she helps me out and sometimes I help her out."

"Except on the stories that count, correct? Is there some kind of cousin rivalry going on?"

"We're a little competitive with each other because we're in the same field, but that hasn't hurt our relationship."

"I'm glad to hear that because I want to give Miss Lane a job before someone else figures out how good she is and takes her first."

"You want to make her an intern?" Chloe said excitedly. "That's great!"

"No, Miss Sullivan. I want to make her a reporter."

"But—but—"

"But what? She has a well-paid job. Interns only make enough to scrape by because they're still going to school. An internship won't be enough to entice her."

"Lois never went to college."

"So? A lot of the old greats never went to college. Her writing is superb and her stories are excellent. She's a natural. She still has a few things to learn, I'm sure, but that will come from experience."

Chloe swallowed hard and nodded.

"Oh, don't look so bleak, Miss Sullivan. You can pull in some good stories yourself now and again. You have a lot of potential and determination. When you graduate, you may very well get a job here too. I will give you the honors of informing your cousin. I'd like to see her tomorrow at 3:00 if the time is good for her."

"Yes, Ms. Kahn," Chloe left the office feeling overwhelmed and a little jealous.

sss

"Lois, I want to talk to you about your job," Chloe said.

"Politics are dreadfully dull most of the time, dear cousin. I hate talking about it, and I hate trying to wade through all these figures in this tax reform. Math was never my strongest suit but neither was spelling or science or history. I think I was screwed all around. I was pretty good in PE and—"

"Lois, you're babbling!"

"Sorry, Chloe. What do you need to talk about?"

"Your career as a journalist."

"What about it?"

"Well—"

"I got a letter from Steve!" Diana shouted, rushing through the Kents' front door.

"That's nice," Lois said. "It's been a week since he left. I was beginning to wonder if he was really going to write."

"So was I," Diana said. "Would you read it for me, Lois? I'm not very good at reading English yet."

"Sure," Lois said, taking the letter from Diana. "'Dear Diana, Sorry I didn't get a chance to write. If it makes you feel any better, I didn't really get a chance to eat either or do much sleeping. We were captured by the enemies. Everything's fine now. The mission is complete. I still can't tell you what it was, government security and all that. I can tell you about my next mission because it's bogus. There's this place called Paradise Island that's supposedly where dangerous Amazons live. It's a deserted island, and everyone knows it, but this Wonder Woman character is all the proof they need that it exists apparently. Proof from the Inquisitor? What's this world coming to? Anyway, apparently the 'Amazons' are going to take over the world and so we have to annihilate the island. It's a waste of good land and bombs if you ask me. That's all I have time to write for now. As soon as I'm in one place long enough, I'll send you my address so you write me back, my fair heroine. I'll write again soon. Love, Steve' "

Lois, Chloe, and Diana had gone pale at the letter.

"They're going to destroy my home," Diana said at last, her voice shaking with fear.


	10. Chapter 10

"They may have already destroyed it. How are we going to get there in time in a plane?" Diana asked. "I don't know how to fly yet."

Lois bit her lip in a worried but thinking gesture. She looked at Chloe, "Maybe we should tell her."

"Tell me what?" Diana asked.

Lois and Chloe still looked hesitant.

"Please, if you think it can help, you have to tell me. My people and I need that island."

"Clark might be able to help," Lois said very slowly.

Chloe shook her head furiously at Lois. She wasn't as sure about trusting a newcomer as Lois seemed to be. She whispered, "He can't fly either you know. He's not fast enough to go across water."

"Then maybe it's time for some flying lessons," Lois whispered back. Then she yelled, "Clark!"

Clark came running in from the barn with a hint of panic in his eyes; he had detected the urgency that had been in her voice. "What's wrong?"

"The stupid government is about to destroy Diana's island. You two are the only ones who can put a stop to it," Lois told him.

He looked at Diana. He'd never seen her so fearful. She was normally calm and composed. "Can you help me?" she asked uncertainly.

He looked a little sheepish and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, "Um, I don't know."

Lois sighed. "You know she has powers. She's using them for good. Isn't there a code between superheroes that says you have to tell each other your secret identities?"

"I'm no superhero," Clark said, "and you know as well as I do that I can't fly."

"Fly?" Diana asked. "He can fly?"

He looked at her, "Not yet. I'm not exactly from around here either, another planet actually, and Jor-El, my biological father, says that I'm supposed to be able to fly on this planet, among other things, but uh, I haven't learned how yet."

"Neither has Diana," Lois said. "This is why you both need flying lessons and the sooner, the better. It's the only hope Paradise Island has."

"Who's going to teach us?" Clark asked.

"You're looking at us. Chloe and I are going to be your teachers."

Diana, Clark, and Chloe all looked fearful and doubtful at the news.

"It'll be fine," Lois assured them. "Go outside and wait for me. I have a job for Mrs. Kent to work on. Then we'll be ready to begin."

When Lois got outside, they were standing around unsure of what they were supposed to be doing.

"Well, the first thing you should be doing is getting on top of that barn," Lois said.

They stood there, staring at her in disbelief.

"I'm not kidding. When a mother bird is teaching her chicks to fly they don't start from the ground; she just pushes them out of the nest."

"Some of those chicks don't make it," Chloe pointed out.

"Yeah, but getting in the air is half the battle, and it's not like they can get hurt," Lois said. "Up," she barked in a general-like voice and pointed.

Diana started climbing up the barn, and Clark jumped onto the roof.

"Now what?" Clark called down.

"Yeah, now what?" Chloe asked, folding her arms.

Lois shrugged, "Think happy thoughts?"

Diana closed her eyes and appeared to be doing just that. Clark shook his head. "Don't pay any attention, Diana. It's another of her cultural jokes."

"Well, it worked for Peter Pan," Lois told Chloe. "Do you have any ideas?"

"It's really not a bad idea, Clark," Chloe called up. "You do have a fear of flying. Maybe that is what's keeping you grounded."

"Or at least don't think about flying," Lois told them. "Maybe you haven't been able to do it because you've been trying to apply some sort of mechanical process. Just jump off and don't think about doing anything, just do what comes naturally."

Diana nodded and then jumped; she glided for a little while in the air before she gracefully landed beside Lois and Chloe.

Chloe eyes were wide, "Boy, is she a quick learner."

"I just hope I can stay in flight long enough," Diana said. "I'll give you one try and then I'm going without you, Clark."

Clark swallowed hard from the pressure that had just been laid on him.

"Come on, Smallville," Lois called. "What are you waiting for? Do you need a damsel in distress or something? Chloe and I can fall out of some windows for you if you want."

"Speak for yourself," Chloe said.

He took a deep breath and then cleared his head. He closed his eyes and leaped. When he opened them, he found he found he had soared far past the Kent farm and to the edge of town. Then he began to get a little sick from being so high up, and he fell into the corn field. He thought about super speeding back, but then he took another deep breath. If he was going to help Diana, he had to do it.

He cleared his mind of his fears again and leaped into the air. He hit the ground again, as doing it from the ground made it a little harder, but then he was airborne. He flew back to farm. His mom was standing in the yard with the others now, and she had something in her arms.

"When you fly, you really fly," Lois said, sounding impressed.

"Congratulations, Clark." His mom smiled with a proud look parents get when their child takes his or her first step. "I've been working on this for awhile, incase you ever needed it." She held up the costume she had made him. "Do you like it?"

He looked carefully at the blue tights, yellow belt, and the red boots and cape. There was also the house of El symbol that had come off his baby blanket on the chest. It was interesting and would probably serve to be a little distracting like every good superhero costume should be. He supposed he would get used to it over time, and they were his favorite colors. "Thanks, Mom. I needed something."

He dashed into the house and was back in a less that a second. Although a little slower, Diana had slipped off her regular clothes to her costume underneath.

"Be safe," his mom said.

He hugged her. "I will." Then he turned to Lois. "I know you want to come along, but-"

"I guess I'm going to have to get used to this if I'm going to be a superhero's girlfriend, right?" she said even though she looked less than thrilled.

He smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss. "Thank you for understanding."

Lois, Chloe, and Martha watched the two, new superheroes fly away.


	11. Chapter 11

When Clark and Diana reached the island, there was no sign of any destruction, so they decided to go to the palace first. She had explained about Steve and the letter to Clark during their flight.

When Diana touched the ground, she felt the gravity strongly and knew she wouldn't be able to take to the air again until she left Paradise Island.

They made their way to the throne room, and Queen Hippolyta's eyes went wide with surprise. "Diana, I didn't expect to see you here so soon. Have you had enough of the outside world already?"

Clark didn't hear what she had asked her daughter, but while the queen was speaking, she had signaled to one of the women who brought a bracelet to Clark in time to hear Diana's response to her.

"Not exactly, Mother. There's trouble on the way. The military is sending one of those flying machines here with bombs."

"What's a bomb?" the queen asked.

Diana looked to Clark to explain because she wasn't too sure herself.

"It's a weapon that not only kills the people in the vicinity, it demolishes the surroundings."

"We are immortal. The bombs will not hurt us, but if they demolish the island so that there is no plant or animal life left, we will forfeit that immortality."

"That's why we're here," Diana told her, "to put a stop to it."

Queen Hippolyta looked full of condescension. "It was only a matter of time before there was trouble of this nature, wasn't it? It's a man's world outside our island; the only thing they know is violence and wars and death. I'm glad you've gotten a chance to see that, so you can be content to stay here where you belong."

"I can't do that, Mother, even if I wanted to, but I've seen that things are different. Even the man that is coming here is not a bad man," she rushed to explain. "He's just following government orders, but I know if he knew there were people here, he wouldn't dream of bombing it. I'm not so naïve that I don't know bad things aren't happening in the outside world, but that's why I was called to help it, and aren't there just as many bad women out there as there are men?"

"Of course there are. That's why Paradise Island is so much safer."

"Things are not the same as what you remember, at least in some places and some ways. Most men are decent like Clark. I will have to go back."

She nodded her head in acknowledgment. "I didn't expect you would stay here, but I think you still have a lot to learn about men. The man in the flying machine is the average male bent on destruction. He's going to find out that we are not so easy to murder a second time."

"I ask that you let Clark and I handle this," Diana requested.

She nodded again without comment, and they heard the buzz of an airplane, putting a stop to their meeting.

Clark and Diana rushed outside. Clark reached the outside first with his super speed. He looked into the plane and saw that Steve was the only one in the plane.

It didn't take long for the first bomb to fall, but Clark caught it and diffused it. He zipped around the island catching them all until the pilot began to circle the island in obvious confusion, wondering why the bombs weren't destroying anything. Diana had reached Clark's side by this point.

Suddenly a flood of flaming arrows shot up from the trees. Diana was able to deflect some of them with her tiara, but one hit the fuel line, and a couple others managed to hit other vulnerable places on the plane.

"I told Mother not to attack that you and I could handle it," Diana said, frustration and worry lacing her voice.

"Not only that but if the mission fails, they'll only send in reinforcements, and all the arrows in the world couldn't stop the next batch of planes. They sent Steve alone because they must have thought it would be an easy mission, but he has to be able to report that everything went well, so they'll leave the island alone in the future."

Just as she nodded her head in agreement, the plane started to fail and go down. It spun in a spiral and its tail burst into flames; it hit the water with a resounding splash.

Clark could tell from the look of pure terror on Diana's face that she really was in love with the man. He had taken to the skies and flew to the spot where the plane had gone down. He x-rayed the plane, but Steve wasn't aboard the submerged plane; he had obviously managed to escape the plane.

Just as he was about to expand his search, he heard a cry of relief from Diana and turned his attention back to the island. Steve had washed up on the shore and was laying unconscious facedown in the sand.

Lacking super strength now that she was on the island again, Clark picked him up for her and carried him back to the palace to her bedroom.

Her mother saw them in the hall and followed them. "How dare you bring that man into this palace when he just tried to kill us all!"

"I told you, Mother," she replied, trying to keep her calm, "that he didn't know anyone was living here."

Clark laid him down on the bed.

"Well, you see to it that he doesn't leave this room," she said before storming off.

"The problem is they need to know that he's safe or they're going to come looking for him," Clark told her.

She bit her lip pensively.

"I'll see if I can't salvage the communication system in his plane."

Clark rescued it from the wreckage and like he expected, it wasn't working. He used his heat vision to dry the equipment and was relieved to see the red light come on. He took it back.

When he walked in Steve was conscious and Diana was cradling his head, helping him sip a cup of water.

"I rescued this from the plane," Clark said. "Do you think you're up to contacting whoever it is you need to contact, so that they don't try to bomb the place again?"

He smiled weakly. "I'd do anything for this angel or I guess I should say princess." His eyes moved to Diana. "If I'd known this was your home—"

She shushed him. "You've said that already, and I told you I forgive you. You need to save your strength."

Clark handed him the mouth piece.

"Mission a success," he radioed in.

"You okay, Trevor?" said the responding voice. "You sound kind of funny."

"I think I'm coming down with something. I'm going to need to take a few days before I can fly again."

"Well, you've certainly earned it. Keep in touch."

"On an island full of beautiful women and we're the only men here," he said jokingly to Clark as he handed the piece back. "I think I'm going to enjoy recuperating."

"Hostile, beautiful women whose home you just tried to wipe out," Clark reminded him. "I wouldn't get too comfortable, and I'll be returning home, so if I were you, I'd stick close to your savior until you're off of here."

He laughed, bringing on a small fit of coughing. "Oh, I intend to and not just while I'm on the island either," he said with a wink to Diana and then he shut his eyes. "No, sir. I'm not letting this woman get away, not in this lifetime."

Diana blushed but smiled happily.

Clark noticed that Steve's pale appearance almost matched the white sheets he lay on, but it looked like he would recover completely with some rest. He stood up and asked, when he was sure that Steve had fallen asleep, "Are you going back to Smallville?"

She shook her head. "I don't think he would be safe here without my protection, and he shouldn't be moved until he makes a full recovery."

"I understand," he said.

"I also think it's going to be good for my people. He is very flirty, which may make them weary at first, but it's obvious he has a good heart. I think my mother has come to like and trust you, but she believes you're the exception to the rule. Steve can show her and everyone else that their beliefs about men in general are wrong. I would love to have the full support of my mother rather than an attitude of 'if you must, you must'. I feel like I could then devote my full energy to establishing myself in the outside world. Besides, I think the Smallville/Metropolis area is well protected now that you have a costume and can be more open in your fighting."

"Well, there's no such thing as too many superheroes. Anytime you can lend a hand, I'll accept it gladly."

"I certainly will and if you ever need my help, all you have to do is let me know. There is no way I can ever repay you for helping me save my home and Steve, not to mention all that you and Lois have helped me with."

They shook hands in parting, not feeling the need to say goodbye.

Clark put the bracelet on the table in the room and flew away from Paradise Island. He knew the world hadn't heard the last of Wonder Woman and neither had he.


	12. Chapter 12

Lois drummed impatiently on the Kents' kitchen table, wishing she knew what was happening on Paradise Island.

Chloe joined her. "We need to finish our conversation."

Lois looked up with a bit of confusion and then remembrance crossed her features. "Oh, that's right. Something about my job?"

"Pauline Kahn wants to hire you," Chloe said, coming directly to the point.

Lois looked surprised and then excited. "That's great. It'd be a lot of fun to work together. Maybe we'll even have desks side by side."

Chloe shook her head. "Not exactly. You're not going to be hired as an intern but as a reporter."

She kept her face neutral at the news, although it must have made her even more excited. "How do you feel about this?"

Chloe forced a smile and truly she was proud of her cousin, after all she had encouraged her toward journalism. "I'm happy for you."

"Are you sure? Because if this bothers you, I'll find another paper to work at."

Chloe felt a tad guilty for feeling even a little jealousy toward her cousin when she was being so considerate, and she was determined to brush it away completely. "No, you deserve this. You paid your dues at the Inquisitor."

"Your time is coming. I know it. You can't hide talent."

Chloe smiled genuinely. "I know you're right and you're also right that it's going to be a lot of fun to work together."

Lois' excitement finally began to show. "I've got to call Pauline. I've got to give the Inquisitor 2 weeks notice. I've got to give Mrs. Kent 2 weeks notice." She didn't look so excited by that last part as she looked toward the living room. "I might as well get one of those things out of the way."

She went alone into the living room where Mrs. Kent was working, her papers neatly spread out on the coffee table.

She heard Lois enter and looked up. "Is Clark back yet?"

"No, I need to tell you something, and it's a little hard to do."

Martha patted her hand on the couch, encouraging her to get comfortable.

"I enjoy working for you. I couldn't imagine having a more understanding boss if I tried," she began.

"You found another job," Martha finished, hoping to put the girl out of her discomfort.

Once again Clark's mother seemed to be one step ahead. Lois breathed a sigh of relief that it was now out in the open. "Yes, I really have loved working with you, but I have a job offer at the Daily Planet."

"That's wonderful news, honey. I knew I couldn't keep you indefinitely, but I will miss working with you. You are a great chief of staff, but I couldn't be happier that you're going to get to do something you love doing full-time. Do you want to start immediately?"

"That's a nice offer, but I couldn't leave you without giving you some time to find a replacement."

The front door opened, and Clark walked in. Chloe joined them in the living room when she heard the door.

Clark felt a bit ridiculous, like he was trick or treating with this costume, and he wondered if he shouldn't switch to a more normal-looking outfit, but he knew the 3 women would all passionately argue that the bigger a spectacle the costume was, the less they were paying attention to who he was. He could see he wasn't going to get away to change yet from their expression even if he did it at super speed.

"Well?" Lois asked.

"The island is safe."

They all breathed a visible sigh of relief. He started to give them the details, but Lois interrupted.

"Wait, I want to get it in print before CNN starts speculating about if you were a bird or a plane," she said, brooking no argument, as she dragged him upstairs, but Clark seemed perfectly agreeable to it as he was smiling and letting her pull him.

"So not fair," Chloe said with humor to Martha when they were gone. "I've got to find myself my own superhero boyfriend, so I can get his exclusives."

Martha chuckled in appreciation.

2 weeks later…

Clark found Lois was still working when he came to pick her up for their date, so he pulled up a chair beside her to wait.

A couple of minutes elapsed before he said. "I miss getting to spend a lot of time with you like we did on Paradise Island. I may just have to look into getting a job here, so I can see you more. You being the workaholic that you are, I may have to get a job here to see you at all."

She looked up briefly. "Are you serious?"

"All kidding aside, I definitely plan on looking into it. What better way to keep up with where my help is needed?"

"I agree. I'll put a good word in for you for what it's worth."

Another couple of minutes elapsed before he said, "I heard from Diana. She was able to use a phone to contact me; she's getting better all the time with our culture."

"And?" she asked curiously without looking up from her typing.

"Steve is fully recovered and stationed in Seattle. She got a job as his colonel's secretary, so she can stay near him."

"So did she manage to convince her mother that not all men are spawns of the devil?"

"I don't think Queen Hippolyta will ever welcome men onto the island with open arms, but according to Diana, she told her daughter that if she had to have a man, she could do worse."

Lois smiled. "That's practically a stamp of approval where Hippolyta is concerned."

He nodded in agreement. "She also said her mother seemed to feel easier about her leaving the second time around."

"Well, I'm glad it's all working out for her."

He listened to the rhythm of Lois pressing the keys. Her typing speed was improving even if her spelling remained consistent, and then it suddenly came to a stop.

"Done." There was the firm and single sound of a key being pressed, as she put the final period on the end of her article.

"Is that your new article about me?" he asked, craning his head to see the screen. "What did you title it? Do I have a name yet?"

"Not yet. I've just been calling you the super man. Maybe it'll catch on." She scrolled back up to the top. "It's only a working title. It's the editor's job to come up with the flashy headlines."

"An Alien in Metropolis? I only hope the name Alien doesn't catch on instead of Superman."

"We have to separate your alter ego from Clark Kent as much as possible and letting the world know the background of their new hero is one way to do it, and it's honest. I have to say though that having an alien in Metropolis is not as interesting or as exciting as having an amazon in Smallville, but it'll do for my first exclusive at the Daily Planet, I suppose," she teased.

"Well, hang on to your keyboard, and I'll see what I can do to change your mind about that," he teased back, as he trapped her against the desk and kissed her soundly.

She smiled wide when he broke the kiss. "You're right. Give me the alien any day." She put her arms around his neck and drew him into another kiss.

The End


End file.
